Superego: Redressing America with Hemp

We are Tommie (CEO) and Matt (CBO) and we are the owners of Superego LLC. Superego is a lifestyle brand that promotes a culture of sustainability through high quality hemp products and engaging multi-media.We have a big vision to redress America with hemp. We started at Wesleyan University in CT back in 2010. Over the years we’ve grown and learned more about developing a brand and enhancing our product, and here we are!

2.Have you collaborated with other designers?

We have worked with plenty of young creatives and are always looking to collaborate with new designers who are motivated and passionate about what they do. Our ideal collaborators are with individuals who are socially aware, positive, and care about sustainability. For instance we have worked with creative activist, Walter Cruz from Bronx, NY, who developed the Les Femmes Collection back in 2014. The collection’s theme was centered around female empowerment. We will be releasing (2) themed collections each year with designers who have a strong voice and a positive message.

3.How did you come up with the concept of your line?

In college, we pursued bachelor’s degrees in Psychology; we were interested in the human psyche and how it works. The name Superego comes from the Freudian concept of Ego, Superego, and ID. The Superego is the portion of your conscious that controls inhibition and balances out the ego, acting on morals and ethics taught to us by our society and environments.

4.What is your inspiration behind your designs?

All of our designs have some sort of deep meaning or metaphor behind them. We enjoy making messages that make people do a double take or make people think. We believe that clothing is more than just something that covers your body. Fashion is a means of expression, art, and progressive thought, and we pride ourselves on encouraging people to value their uniqueness.

5.What sets your clothing line apart from others?

Our shirts are made from hemp and organic cotton. We decided to go with this fabric because it is not only eco-friendly, but it’s extremely soft and breathable. Hemp has many environmental benefits; requires less water to cultivate compared to cotton and doesn’t need pesticides to grow. We have developed the world’s softest, most comfortable hemp blended t-shirts!

6.What is your ideal model to dress?

Our ideal model is one that embraces the design. We like people to resonate with our messages; when they put our shirt on we want them to fully stand behind the message. The beauty behind our brand is that the consumer who resonates with being cut from a different cloth actually makes up the brand.

7.What is your greatest accomplishment?

In late 2015, we were able to launch a Kickstarter campaign. Not only did we exceed our goal of $25k in 26 days, we were able to generate enough brand awareness and demand for our product to continue in business and take things to the next level. Since the kickstarter we continue to build momentum and gain validity in the streetwear and eco-fashion industries.

8.Does your personal style translate into your designs?

We are aware that the very essence of our brand stems from us. Every design we put out is an extension of our words, thoughts, and actions. We hope that our lifestyle is portrayed well through our brand and that many people will resonate with it. As millennials we are in tune to what connects us whether it be our content or apparel.

9.What do you see for you and your company in the future?

Superego has a lot planned for the future! We are going to be expanding our hemp catalogue to have many different types of hemp products. We would like to become the go-to platform when it comes to hemp apparel and products. We also would like to partner with more non-profits and influencers in order to advance our sustainable mission and make larger social impact. In addition, we hope to open a few physical store locations in some major cities across America.

10.Tell me about a challenge you’ve experienced as a designer. How did you overcome it?

This is pretty easy. As two college students with Psychology degrees from a Liberal Arts University, we had zero design experience. We have often relied on other creatives to help with design work whether it be for marketing materials or product design. This has worked great for us in hindsight because we are a brand that values collaboration. Our themed collections and branded collaborations have different styles to them because we work with different creatives on the project.

11.What sets you apart from other designers?

We don’t have much of a design background. Neither of us went to school for design, but I think that’s what makes us so unique. We live in a fluid era where many people are abandoning the set pathways that society has told us we have to take. We are happy to be on this design journey and learn from each other, our collaborators, and our customers.

12.What advice would you give to an up-and- coming designer?

The best advice we would give to an up-and-coming designer is to be yourself. Mimicking other trends and styles may get you money quick, but it is the unique ideas that will last a make an impression on people. Put your whole self into your passion despite what people may say. The process will be much more fulfilling if you do.